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The Cite
Known from only a few encounters, most importantly the First Landing at Reille Pasa, The Cite are a mysterious race of dikaryotic organisms primarily known for their complete individuality, lack of organization and extreme biological and phenotypal diversity. Curious and friendly, Cite ships have visited many worlds and attempted communication and trade, though there have also been reports of minor raids and attacks by Cite warships on remote colonies and outposts. Lacking any concept of organization, or even of their own race beyond the individual level, it has proven impossible for any other races to form diplomatic relations with the Cite and thus the race remains an enigma to this day. Biology The first dikaryotic organisms discovered, the Cite evolved from organisms with two distinct types of cellular structure and reproductive methods. Soboviotic cells reproduce by fission and form colonies which then reproduce by budding or shedding off of dermoviotic offspring. Dermoviotic cells randomly mix genetic material and create vastly different types of random forms. The subova forms contain trinuclear cells with masses of genetic material, perhaps one thousand times more than found in any other race. Suboviotic cells are slow to divide and have never been shown to suffer from mutation, though it is believed that mutations must happen incredibly rarely. Most offspring will lack subova layers and will be composed entirely of dermova cells, thus the suboviotic Cite are rare and have never been seen by an offworlder. Outer dermova layers of Cite bodies contain highly volitale genetic materials in a constant state of gene transfer, mutation and reproduction. While the subova may reproduce once every six hundred to a thousand years, the dermova cells may spawn new offspring every few minutes. Offspring contain random mixes of genes, and thus most are not viable, but those which are form a multitude of diverse lifeforms. It has been hypothesized that all life on KR87b is decended from these Cite dermova offspring. Dermova offspring have been found in millions of different types though only a small percentage have been identified and cataloged. About six thousand years before their first contact with other races, certain Cite types began growing favored and useful dermova offspring artificially; some such as Hovi are grown for food, while Engineers, Planners and Builders have been grown into specific castes. It is thought that all contact with the Cite have been with variations of the Planner Cite, which are generally 2.5-3 meters tall with two grasping arms and four pseudopodia around a segmented trunk with a central sensory node in the center. On their homeworld, the original subova are kept in sealed and heavily protected tanks to serve as a genetic repository for the now-controlled aesexual reproduction of diverse dermova offspring. Types Because the Cite reproduce the random mixture of genes, there are a near infinite variety of Cite phenotypes. Each naturally ocurirng Cite offspring is unique in body form, size, intelligence and ecological niche. *Subova *Planners *Engineers *Workers *Builders *Nurses *Hovi *Armiss *Goless Politics Because each Cite was traditionally formed randomly and aesexually, they lack any concepts of family or group. Individuals do as they please, and while they have been known to cooporate with each other on projects, it appears that cooporation is entirely volountary and up to the whims of each individual involved. Cite have no names for themselves, their race or planet, and seem to show little grasp of the idea that they are related to one another. Certain writings they have given to other races do describe 368 different subova, but the Cite have shown no loyalty or allegience to them. Despite lacking any concept of organization, the Cite have been known to cooporate on large projects including agriculture, industry, genetic engineering and space travel. Technology Cite technology is haphazard and random, with each Cite Engineer creating technology on their own through trial and error. Certain advances are spread throughout their world, but have always been seen to be modified heavily by local Engineers. Cite starships appear cobbled-together as they are built without any central plan or design. In fact, races that have come into contact with Cite ships have discovered that they are continually under construction and can change shape and style hour-by-hour. There is little to no mass production of Cite technological goods, except for the the genetic factories where specific castes are grown. Almost all Cite artifacts are unique, hand-made creations by the Engineers and thus a few have obtained near mythological status among the other races. According to lore and rumor, unique Cite artifacts include The Life Encoder, a device that can store memories and personalities genetically; The Biogamra, a nanovirus which can cause rapid mutation in a population and The Eternal, an artificial life-form which exists out of space-time and prophesy the future. It is not known if such devices exist or if they are mere traders' legends. Language Most Cite have four chemical bladders in each pseudopod and their language is based on the different combinations of each chemical released. This has been modified into a written language with six characters based on simple geometric shapes. Radio communication is acchieved through the use of six musical notes, though it is believed that only Cite Planners and Engineers communicate vocally. Cite who have contacted other races have been known to produce a series of 400 thin metal plates, dubbed The Cite Codex, though only a few of the pages have ever been deciphered. History Four hundred years before their contact with other races, Kiatocs had picked up radio signals eminating from the star system KR87b, though the first contact with the Cite was First Landing at Reille Pasa, in which a Cite ship landed on a Kaitocs colony, gave the local population a copy of the Codex and gathered biological specimens which they took aboard their craft before departing. Though the Felzari have shown little interest in trading with The Cite, a number of Felzari philosophers and linguists have dedicated their lives to deciphering The Cite Codex, believing it contains novel ideas and information. Other groups have sought out Cite technologies, but are often frustrated by the lack of standardization and mass production of Cite biotechnology and weapons. The Felzari began calling the beings Cite which was a transliteration of the musical tones used in Cite Planners' vocal language. Cite that have had contact with other races are reported as being fascinated by any and all alien biological forms and have been known to trade amazingly unique technological artifacts for biological samples. Category:Races